roaster purchase

[davidsbiscotti]

Okay, I just laughed out loud first time today (regarding what Alun said about New Zealand). Good stuff Alun and Sainak. It's good to hear what's going on in the world from real people and not the biased news companies.

Good on ya guys!

 

[sainak]

I rekon you talking about Indonesia I was there (Pekanbaru-Sumatra)during the riots against the president Suharto and previously when some funny guys burn over part of the borneo forrest in both case I've escaped and I say to my boss that indonesia for me was more than enogh. Few year later back again near Jakarta and still a lot of problems down there between christian and muslim in some other areas.
Thailand as well is in trouble in the south close to the border with Malesia it's a long story and no one can see the end.
We have no volcano... but if you going for an original spyce thai food you can feel it.
8)
bye

 

[Alun_evans]

The common joke is god had a sense of humor when he planted all the worlds oil, gas...and coffee reserves in politically, social and climatic hot spots around the globe. Thailand is indeed somewhat calmer (apart from the problems Sainak mentioned near the Southern border). Indonesia is pretty calm at present- there has not been a major disaster for an eerily long time (twighlight zone music playing in the background). CAn understand the comments about enough being enough! 10 years here now...(whew). I remember a few years back exchanging some emails with Alan Few- the well known Australian contributor to a number of coffee sites. He was up in Cibinong not far from where I live now, around 30 years ago. He was pretty adament that he would no like to come back! Dont get mewrong though, its not all bad. The weather is good, the coffee fine and trips to nice spots such as Bali always sooth the nerves. BTW I am STILL looking for an apprentice roaster...2 years after first posting the job I am yet to find one. Any takers :wink:

 

[sainak]

Hi Alun,
could you tell me if there are problems to get green beans in the area you live. And do you know if the price had changed in the last 30 days.
There is something wrong here in Thai. 2 supplier does not have answering my fax and phone calls and a new contact told me he got just few bags of arabica only at 40% higher price than normal.
Unbelievable! first time in 3 years.
I never have problem like this, sugar price increase 20% and people stock this product as much as possible, last week I look in 4 stores to find one pack.
No coffee, no sugar what next..... Spoons? Cups?.... hahaha.
Should I move to Brazil to be sure coffee supplies dont getting short??
Well I read a lots of story about fair trade and other associations, foudations and similar and all of those says we will protect the farmers and improve coffee crops , I'm still wonder who really get benefits and profits from those activities. Since I come here no single improvement has been sighted.
What I know coffee is closed market here in thai and soon I need to look for other places with more professional supplier.
Bye
sainak

 

[Alun_evans]

No problems here. I work directly with most of my suppliers- meaning I buy direct from the villagers (I only work with Indonesian Coffee- no other origins). In the few cases where I do not buy direct from small-holders, I work with pretty well established coffee exporters- and also recently no problems with them (pricing or supply). I think in Thailand the growing/farming segement of the industry is pretty heavily protected. I have several customers in Bangkok who buy green from me periodically. There is a very strict quota system in place- which is suprising as all agricultural tarif's, duties and barriers have supposd to have been removed from intra-ASEAN trading. The Quota is applied for a year in advance and the volumes allowed to roasters to bring in directly is ridiculously low. The same still exists in the Phillippines which also has protection mechinisms for their growers. The short of it is if you are buying anything other than Thai Arabica/Robusta- then you have to buy from someone who has brought coffee in under the quota system. This system in itself probably means you ned to pay more.

As for NON COFFEE relate price increases...well everyone will have seen the shambles that is affecting Asia in particular. In the last year Sugar is up 30%, Flour 100%, Cheese 80%, Rice 30%...fuel is going up 30% in June which will push everything else up around the same ammount. CAfe related- packaging (paper cups, spoons,lids etc) are all up 12-18% in last 4 months alone. Given the fact that we are now paying rentals now that are equivalent to downtown Sydney prices... the bottom line for retail is not looking so healthy right at present :evil:

 

[Alun_evans]

BTW...did Alex get hold of you? He is pretty keen to look at and hopefully buy one of your roasters. Ciao

 

[sainak]

Hi Alun
thanks a lot for your information.
Yes it is true that ASEAN related country remove all fees for imported product like coffee and many others as well.
Coffee's imported from other countries not belong to ASEAN are subjected to 90 % tax fee. Simply CRAZY!!! :evil: :shock:
This because they want protect local product but at the same time is not available for the reasons you explain in your post.
They dont know what they are doing, I mean Thai's.
Indonesia has much more products available and large scale plantation compared with thai.
The sistem allowed to go straigth to the source, this is quite difficult in Thailand were shark's has complete controll of the coffee market and small quote for local production it's not enough.
Very sad situation.
Yes, alex receive some informations about my machine already, and suddenly decide to buy other one!! :evil: .....hahaha....No, no it's not like that.
Alex will be one of the first (real)fresh coffee point in a turist area of thailand and all the best to him!! It's a good thing to start with small equipment and take some times in order to understand the potential and future possibility to extend his production. So one day we will have opportunity to talk about some bigger equipment.
Ciao

 

[Alun_evans]

I too have sme shark bites to show for my efforts :grin: I think sharks circle anywhere where free marketeering dominates the principles of fair marketing! Ouch :evil: I can tell you a few stories of my battles with those in between the coffee growers and me.

I know Thailand has produced a couple of quite well known coffee chains (Black Canyon Coffee for example). I am not sure what coffees they ue, but assume a % of it must be Northern Thai Arabicas?

I would also be keen to know a bit more about the roasters you are developing. If you have some technical info and pictures please email them to me for future reference. In many ways it makes sense to look at buying regionally.

Ciao :grin:

 

[sainak]

Hahah.. good to see those sharks does not bite yet our sense of humor.
Yes sure I will prepare something for you.
Ciao

 

[Alun_evans]

I wear a shark suit...and sometimes use a mobile shark cage :grin: Cool, will look forward to getting something from you